Misery by Stephen King

Author:  Stephen King

Genre:  Horror, Fiction, Thriller

Reading Experience:  9/10

Story:  8.5/10

Writing:  8/10

My Verdict:  8.5/10

I respect a writer when he or she makes the book come alive.  When a book evokes the same feeling the main character is feeling, or makes the entire atmosphere swallow you whole, then that writer has earned my respect.  Of course, it has to be Stephen King!

The story is simple:Paul Sheldon is a bestselling novelist, famous for his Misery Chastain series.  But his life changes when he was driving through the snow and crashes his car, hurting himself very, very badly.  It's a good thing Annie Wilkes was there!  She has become his nurse since the moment she found him in the wreck.  She takes care of him, nursing him back to health.  And she is also his biggest fan...and his captor.

This is the only book of Stephen King I've read that I've finished in a week.  I had to.  Someone from college had lend it to me, so I had a short time to read it before college was over.  There was no need to rush, though.  The story was engaging enough to have me hooked until the last page.  By the time I reached the last page, I was surprised to have finished so quickly.

Reading Experience:  9/10

If I had to use a word to describe this book, it would have to be claustrophobic.  It felt like being buried alive; I felt hopelessness, desperation, fear, horror and dread... in the most exciting, exhilarating way!  It felt like being in a coffin, trying desperately to get out, but, at the same time, dreading to know what's outside of the coffin, standing, waiting for you to come out.  More like:

And I also felt like I was being haunted and stalked by Annie Wilkes, as if she was a boogeyman for both Paul Sheldon and myself.  There's always this unneasyness in every page, every sentence.  You feel like you have to look over your shoulder.

"Don't look, don't look"

And when Annie Wilkes appears in the doorway:

It's a haunting, heart-stopping ride where the villain, the boogeyman and the monster is not supernatural...it's a woman, a very pissed off woman.  Paul Sheldon can't walk; he was badly injured in the accident.  He is at the mercy of one woman, who can cure him or end him,

Paul Sheldon drifts in and out, and he only sees one face:  hers.

Story:  8.5/10

As I said, Paul Sheldon is being held captive by his biggest fan, who happens to be a nurse and his captor.  He is at her mercy, and she can punish him if he misbehaves.

What I love about this book is the isolation and the claustrophobia it evokes with every chapter.  It's brilliantly plotted, and of all of Stephen King's villains I've read about so far, Annie Wilkes is my all-time favorite.  She is Paul Sheldon's biggest fan:  

"Catch it, Paul!"

She is OBSSESSED with him:

She is psychotic:

The Hobbling scene will not let you sleep...ever again

And worst of all, she is EVERYWHERE!

Writing:  8/10

King's writitng never disappoints.  This book is no exception.  He has this unique way of writing that, somehow, ends up being even more unique with every story.  To me, this was one of the easiest books I've read of his.  It was so fascinating, so engaging, that I sacrificed many hours of sleep just to finish this book.  It was brilliant, it was scary and it's a favorite.  If you're starting out, read this one first, or Pet Sematary.  Either way, you are gonna tap into Stephen King's scariest books, in my opinion.  

Here, he perfectly captures the hopelessness, the dread, the desperation and the claustrophobia of being held prisoner by the person that is also taking care of you.  The moody nurse has a LOT in store for Paul Sheldon, and she will not let him free until he writes another book... just for her.

My Verdict:  8.5/10

This is a MUST, if you want to read a Stephen King book.  It's scary, it's masterfully plotted and written, it's engaging and it's one of a kind.  As you near to the end, you won't be able to breathe with your heart stuck in your throat.

It's a scary book, in the most human way possible.  You immediatly get immersed into the story since page one.  You can feel Sheldon's pain, his broken bones and his aching body, and you can also feel his fear and desperation, as Annie Wilkes transforms from a kind, amiable nurse (who happens to be his number one fan) to a monstrous, psychotic woman who has a tight grip on him and will not, under any circumstance, let him go.

Even though it's a somewhat disturbing novel, I do recommend it if you wish to be genuinely scared by a book.  I mean, Pet Sematary gave me chills, but this one horrified me beyond measure (in the best way possible).

Read it.  You'll be horrified, your heart will race and you will sweat bullets before the book ends... but it will become a favorite.  That is, of course, if you like those types of books.  I do.

Oh!  And it was adapted into a movie!  Starring Kathy Bates' amazing performance as Annie Wilkes and James Caan as Paul Sheldon.  I saw it recently, and it's a MUST see!  Be warned, the movie itself is disturbing, but it captures Stephen King's novel like no other!  Here it is!

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Salutations fellow Bookworms!  I hope you liked my review!  If you have any thoughts to share, if you agree or disagree or if you’d like to share anything, let me know on the comments!  You can also tweet me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, on Tumblr or add me on GoodReads!  Happy Reading!